Hokies a Sugar Bowl lock; Michigan slides up to No. 9

Book it: No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 2 Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4.

In what will become a perfect ending to a perfect regular season, Virginia Tech is certain to hold off Nebraska in the final Bowl Championship Series standings, setting up a No. 1 vs. No. 2 game for the national title in New Orleans.

The Hokies (11-0) increased their second-place lead over the Huskers from .63 points to 1.54 points in the latest BCS standings released yesterday. The final BCS standings, which determines the teams that will play in its title game, will be released Dec. 5.

The advantage, according to one computer expert, is all but impossible to overcome - even if Nebraska routs Texas in Saturday's Big 12 Conference title game in San Antonio.

AP PHOTO Peter Warrick and the 'Noles will play Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4.

"There's no suspense," Chicago-based computer expert Jerry Palm said. "If Nebraska wins 50-0, I'm not sure that could overtake Virginia Tech."

From the start of the Hokies-Huskers points battle, Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer has been confident the top teams would end up in the national title game. But until the final results are in, he's not taking anything for granted.

"There's too much invested in the BCS so that the two best teams will play," Beamer said. "I personally think one of the teams has to be Virginia Tech.

"With all the hard work by our coaches and all the hard work by our players, I would be devastated if we did not make it." The BCS standings are based on a formula that considers The Associated Press media poll and the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll, eight computer rankings, strength of schedule and losses.

Florida State and Virginia Tech are 1-2 in the AP poll and the coaches poll.

Nebraska (10-1) blew its chance to stay close to Virginia Tech by barely beating unranked Colorado 33-30 in overtime last Friday. The Hokies, meanwhile, rolled to a 38-14 win over then-No. 22 Boston College.

The results lowered the Hokies' computer average and raised the Huskers' average. Tech's strength of schedule went from 66th toughest to 54th.

Florida State (11-0), which locked up first place two weeks ago with a 30-23 win over Florida, has 2.24 points - 1 for poll average, 1 for computer rank average, 0.24 for strength of schedule and zero for losses.

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